On May 20th Annular Solar Eclipse was enjoyed by many around the world. It was one of two major events happening within less than a month of one another.
In Joshua Tree it reached about 87%. ________Click on > above to start slide show of the solar event
______________________________

Thank you for
Joining us to
View
the
Transit of Venus Photos Taken at the Joshua Tree Astronomy Arts Theater

We were able to share this once in a life time view with over 100 visitors that arrived at various intervals.

Andromoda Society's President, Dick Pantoja,
getting the message out.

In this photo, you can see a slight redish halo around Venus. Which according to scientist means that Venus has an atmosphere. This halo was also observed in the transition of 2004.

Just a sample of the continued deep space live images by Leonard Holmberg
Left- Spiral Galaxy M51 ~ Right Sunflower Galaxy
Below
The Trifid Nebula

Clive Wright

__________________________________________________

Giving Thanks Pot Luck & Star Party

Talking Turkey

More Talken Turkey

Yum!

Photo courtesy of The Joshua Tree Star

A few guest start with the appetizers

Ken & Rebecca
Checking out the sun flares through the solar scope

The ducks are thankful for a lake in the middle of the desert. But most of all, they are thankful they aren't Turkeys!
____________

And by night.......

DJ Leo is right on as he synchronizes the music to the deep space images.

The Horse Head Nebula.

Photo by LJH

A great time was had by one and all. Perfect So. Calif. Weather. A beautiful sunny day turned into a most pleasant & comfortable evening under a crisp, clear, dark night sky. Several shooting stars and spectacular deep sky images were enjoyed by the large crowd.

A special thanks to our professional DJ, Leo. Who's skillful mastering of the digital turntable was the icing on the cake.

______________________

Summers End Star Party
October 2011

Just a sample of the fun we had during the
Summers End Celebration
at the
Joshua Tree Astronomy Arts Theater

The evening started with
Stefanie Ritter from the Hi-Desert Nature Museum
with an informative & humorous presentation on
Insects by Night

Janine is one of the Gems of the Jewels of the Desert

Audience participation was an added bonus.

David introduced his just released book
The Mojave
Miles of Wonder
and gave a presentation of his award winning
wildlife photos"America's Lake Superior"

After the presentation
David & Vera brought Ice-cream for the whole class!

Sally, Queen of Joshua Tree Lake

The Metcalf's enjoying the warm desert night

Myra all ready in her reclining star gazing chair

Leonard
Life's so bright ya gotta wear shades!

Mark & Steffie

Settling in for the nights views

Let's do a wave!

Deborah & Raini

Michael & Toy

After Ice-Cream David "Hurricane" McChesney
entertained the crowd. As live deep space images
are projected on to the big screens.

Clive Wright plays as images are shown.

The hurricane is a blowin!

Clive's Mellow Tunes sets the perfect mood.

A wonderful time for one and all

_______________

July 2011

Photo by LJH

A live image of The Lagoon Nebula
as seen at the July 23rd Star Gaze

_________________________

We would like to thank all who attended the
"Tour of the Moon" Star Party on July 16th.

A great time was had by all & the new friendships made, is what makes it all worth while. We look forward to next time.Some of the Many Live Images of the Evening

__________________________________

OUR INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATION STAR PARTY
2011

When the first guests arrived, it was still sunny and hot. The solar scope was up and running and boy was the sun active! Flares and surface details were fantastic. The early-birds had a real treat!

As nightfall came on, we started with a NASA film about the ISS. It was very appropriate because about half way through the film our audience was pleased to view one of the brightest and longest flyovers of the ISS we had ever seen.

When Rebecca says Cheese, she really brings it!

Leonard setting up his array of Astro-Techno gadgets

Photo by VW

Tom (middle)
Getting ready to check out the thin Crecent Moon with Charles & Honey.
The Meade 178 Refractor is set up for anyone who would like to do visual astronomy.

Frank going over some of the night sky images to be projected with Leonard

By the time the movie ended, the first deep sky object was already on one of our screens. The "Ring" ushered in the nights agenda of over twenty great wonders we were happy to show everyone. Other highlights included the "Bug Nebula", "Crescent Nebula", "North American Nebula" and the hit of the night, the "Fireworks Galaxy"!

Photo by LJH

Leonard Captured this live deep space image of the
Fireworks Galaxy in honor of the 4th of July Holiday

Leonard Holmberg's CPC 11 did an amazing job of doing what Leonard asked from it! Drilling holes cleanly through the night sky and bringing incredible images to the audience! Deb filled gaps in the show with information about the objects we were looking at and Valeree kept a smooth running line of visual observers looking through the big 178 Meade refractor. Saturn was the target and it was wonderful to see as the sky was dark and still.

Photo by VW

On the Left is the Cigar Nebula and on the right the Whirlpool Galaxy

Mary Firth and Frank Schneider, and our own "Team X" joined in and added dimension to the subject matter that gave the visitors some insight to what we were observing. David "Hurricane" McChesney Played a tribute harmonica rendition celebrating the passing of our friends Ric Knudsen and Robert Ward, for whom we had a moment of silence and a brief memorial in their memory. We will miss these guys!

Photo by LJHTrifid Nebula on the left with the Dumbbell or Apple Core Nebula on the right

Photo by LJH

In all, we felt we had a great show. The mechanical systems worked flawlessly and the program moved with hints that suggested we were having FUN! With some spectators deciding at the last minute, it was worth staying the whole night and spent the night under the stars in their lounge chairs.

_________________________________________

July 24 2010 Star Party

The Moon did not disappoint and the crowd was very enthusiastic to say the least...
The nearly full Moon definitely had an effect.

A future astronomer checking out the Moon.

____________________

Despite the bright Moon, the stars did make their appearance.
________________________

Venus makes an appearance in the west after sunset.

____________________
A live image of the Moon on the left being observed while watching a show on the Moon and the space station.

___________________

Some new friends from the Netherlands enjoying the desert night skies.

_____________

During a break we enjoy an on screen concert.

* * * * * * * *

Fun Facts

Did you know. There has been over 300 songs written about the Moon. From Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata", The Glenn Miller instrumental version and the satin voice of Ella Fitzgerald with their rendition of "Moonlight Serenade, Van Morrison's Moon Dance, Paul Simon's "Song About the Moon", Even the Rolling Stones and the B52's have songs about the Moon.

Since man first looked to the sky, there has been, and still are a treasure trove of different beliefs about the moon.

It was, and still is believed that a full moon caused people to go crazy. How many times have you heard somebody say; "There must be a full moon tonight." because of the way people were behaving.

The Romans believed the moon was Luna, the goddess of the moon.

For the Greeks, Selene was the Titan Goddess of the moon. A number of other goddesses were also associated with the moon, however, only Selene was represented by the old Greek poets represented as the moon incarnate.

Other Greek moon goddesses included Pasiphae, the Leukippides, Eileithyia, Hekate, Artemis, Bendis, and Hera who sometimes doubled for Selene in the Endymion myth.
And we must not leave out the Coyote and Werewolves known howling at the full moon .

Actually, Coyotes and Wolves are not howling at the moon. They become more active because of the bright illumination of the moon. Primarily, they howl to announce their territory and determine if other coyotes are in or control the territory near their own.

At night a coyote will howl and then listen for other coyotes to howl back. If he hears another coyote to the North, South, East or West, he then knows that the territory is patrolled and claimed by a different coyote, and will respect that coyote's boundaries.

They will also howl to call their pack members back after they split up from a hunt.

The moon plays an important role for the Native American Tribes. Spring time brings the Corn Moon. We have just left the Strong Sun Moon and have entered the Ripe Berries Moon.

Man and natures relationship with the moon is boundless. And the stories will continue for centuries to come.

________________________

August 7th 2010 Star Party Highlights The night back lit by a faraway lighting storm throughout the eveningVenus made an appearance soon to be followed by Mars & Saturn located very close by.
As darkness fell we were treated to a spectacular light show in the North East, proved by Mother Nature.
The bright glow of the lightning strikes lit up the dark horizon exposing the black silhouette of the mountain.
Absolutely beautiful !

While looking for early signs for the Perseids, at about 9:07 pm we were treated by the appearance of a flaring satellite. Although this one only lasting about 5 or so seconds, this phenomenon caused by the reflective surfaces on satellites such as antennas or solar panels reflecting sunlight directly onto the Earth below and appearing as a brief, bright "flare".

The Knudsens getting ready for a night of star gazing
Note Marilee is in the supervisors chair.
_________________

Mary Firth displays her hand made knitted hats she available for purchase.
________________

The spectators beginning to gather for an evening of fun under the desert skies.

The view is in the west where Venus, Mars & Saturn are near alignment just after sunset.____________2 live images of M27 24 feet wide and 9 feet tall.We control color and contrast to bring out features not normally visible. Note filament structure on the right hand image. Right hand image is zoomed while the left hand image is a normal view.
___________________

A Stereo View of the Open Star Cluster M11
_______________A Globular Cluster M5
Under very good viewing conditions, M5 can just be glimpsed with the naked eye. This globular cluster is easily visible as small fuzzy patch in good binoculars, and a fine round "nebula" in 3-inch telescopes, brighter toward the center.
___________M2 has a diameter of about 175 light-years, contains about 150,000 stars, and is one of the richer and more compact globular clusters.
______________

Difficult to capture is this deep sky image of the Double Star
Albireo. Located in the constellation Cygnus, Albireo is approximately 380 light years away from the Earth .
When viewed with the naked eye, Albireo appears to be a single star. by D.O.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
August 28, 2010by D.O.

Photo by Bill Hampton

Eariler in the day. Rick Hiestand
(aka Telescope operator number 1.)
Set up his Spectrograph for views of the sun.

___________________

Photo by Leonard HolmbergPictured above is a computer screen-shot taken as we broadcast live for the very first time over the Internet!
The excitement of achieving this landmark event has us reeling with the possibilities of what the future might bring.
We had a great experience connecting with enthusiasts from all over the world. Images projected on our screens were sent over the Internet to dozens of NSN viewers. The image pictured above shows the scale of a person standing in front of the 9 x 12 foot screen. This broadcast was made possible thanks to the effort of a small but dedicated group who enjoyed themselves immensely. Night Skies NetworkWhat is the Night Skies Network? "NSN" is a new way for amateur astronomers to connect live with anyone who has a computer with an Internet connection. Images from telescopes with Mallincams are made available for "real time" viewing by anyone with a desire to see the amazing objects of our fantastic night skies. Quoting the site:

"This site is for amateur astronomers who like to view and share the wonders of our night skies.
There, you will see members from all parts of the globe broadcasting the night skies from their home built observatories, back yards, and just about any other place where one can set up a telescope."

_________________

Despite the 40 mph. wind gusts, the people came and the show went on. Images hit the screen while cameras in the background captured the action being broadcast. Here, our old friend, "The Swan Nebula" graces our screen once again. The best of the summer still amazes everyone.
The Monsoon conditions in the days leading up to the star party worried everyone. Then Mother Nature showed her ability to do an about face with a wind storm that made for very clear skies. Conditions remained somewhat difficult as the wind continued to effect the steadiness or our equipment.______________ Photo by Leonard Holmberg

Deb & Valeree along with service dog Chappy at the controls of broadcast central.OK, yes it is California,..... and yes, it is the desert..... so why is everyone wearing their big winter coats?
Well, good question! Would you believe for the first time in 3 months, the night time temperatures went below 80 degrees! Along with the winds came a vast temperature drop to around 65 degrees. You may laugh, but it's quite a shock when your not used to it.

The Dumbbell Nebula is pictured on the screen. As just captured by Leonard's CPC 11 and Mallincam Jr.

Close up of monitor image

__________________________

September 10-11-2010"Summers End Star Party"

by D.O.Mark Bahu of Ventura
&
Eddie Milaenes of Simi ValleyTwo wise and happy campers!
Rather than trusting the all knowing "Clear Sky Chart" , these guys had a great night of star gazing in Joshua Tree.
By the time they could begin aligning their scopes, the sky was clear and rang sharp as a bell!___________________

Photo by Leonard HolmbergPictured above and below are computer screen-shots taken as we broadcast live solar image over the Internet!Photo by Leonard Holmberg___________________

Yeves Nzyengui of Long Beach___________________

Photo by Valeree Woodard

Yeves and Anne Margis___________________

Elizabeth staked out her spot. Ric sets his sights on Venus while Yeves and Anne go for the early setting Moon.___________________

Photo by Leonard Holmberg

Solar scope in action while the big boys wait for night skies.___________________

Flying Saucer over Joshua Tree Astronomy Theater
A sample of some of the wonderful artwork created by Ken Keller___________________

The early arrivals get front row center seating___________________

Behind the screens under a carpet of stars.___________________

Photo by Valeree Woodard
Setting up "The Monster"___________________

Nick is manning the Tele-Vue scope from

Astronomers Without Boarders

Photo by Valeree Woodard

Nick assists as Yucca Valley Frank checks out the Tele-Vue

___________________

Mark & Eddie with an image of the Cigar Nebula .
Using a Takahashi TOA 130 Telescope.___________________

John Rhodes from Tele-Vue demonstrates some of the latest and greatest eyepieces.

We had a turn out of about 75-100 people despite the false bad skies report on the clear sky chart!

Jupiter on the left screen with the Little Dumbbell Nebula(M76) on the right.___________________

Another surrenders to the Steve Kennedy challenge..
(Note: Chappy is not injured or bandaged up.
He wears a reflective vest so we can see him in the dark when he's laying on a dark surface.)

Star Party in Joshua Tree National Park March 28, 2009

The Andromeda Society's monthly star party at Hidden Valley in Joshua Tree National Park did not disappoint.

The Clear Sky Chat read, that viewing would be excellent, especially between the hours of 8 - 9 pm. And as if that wasn't great news, Earth Hour was globally taking place between 8:30 - 9:30! It doesn't get much better than that.

The crowds began to gather early. The program began at the other end of the site at about 7:30, with comedic but educational stylings of Orv Hunter & Sam Davidson, who are considered the two sages of The Andromeda Society.

By the time they were finished it was dark enough to start the show. I must say, that due to Earth Hour, the skies were noticeably darker between 8:30 - 9:30 and seemed brighter by 10:00.

As it turned out, it was the largest group that SCDVA has had the pleasure of presenting the night skies to.

November 21st 2009
Ground Breaking of Our New Permanent Location
at

Joshua Tree Lake

Our ground breaking star show went like we hoped. It was simple and to the point. Despite the chilly evening, all in all, we had a turn out of about 150 people through out the evening & early morning hours. Great astronomy with lucky skies made the event all we could have imagined.

Valeree with early bird supporters Walter & Joyce

The future will provide the time to construct the amenities and comforts that will round off the setting where astro shows ala SCDVA style will become full fledged regular happenings and attractions to the Joshua Tree Lake Campground and RV Park.

The enthusiasts that came made the time fun and exciting as questions kept the discussion lively and interesting.

Our Sky Guru, Ric Knudsen getting ready to do his tour of the night skies.

Our next show will be announced soon and will take place after the core construction is finished. This will probably be in the very early spring.

One thing we really enjoy, is the time we share with groups that come to take part in our show. This time we were really thrilled to present our show to the Cub Scouts of Pack 78 from the Marine Corp Base in Twentynine Palms.Paul with the guys doing the night skies

The well behaved bunch were super participants in our show and between the live projected images and views through eyepiece of Ric Knudsen's scope, everyone enjoyed the show.

Projected on the screens are the Ring Nebula & Dumbbell

This is the kind of event that makes us feel like we are making a difference in the lives of young people and that encourages us to do more like this. Everyone who came made the event wonderful!

Thanks, Cub Scout pack 78!

* * * * * *

The Harrison House Retreat, straw bale house is a famous Joshua Tree place. It is warm and inviting and ingenious!

Situated in the valley east of town, owner Eva Soltes entertains and shares her enthusiasm for her historic little abode. Her friends and associates are artists and entertainers who share her drive to make the Harrison House a focal point in the art community. Concerts, art shows, private parties and a place for visitors to stay near the Joshua Tree National Park, make the house a destination and repose.

On November 9th, our group was invited to partake in a party entertaining a group of visiting journalists who write for various periodicals relating to art and travel. Our part was to provide ambiance with projected images of outer space onto the walls of the historic facade.

Photo by Eva Soltes
The evening went well and images were wonderfully framed by the west facing wall. Food and drink made for a comfortable effort and the helpers and friends made the setting friendly and relaxed. We had a great time.

The images included here show the scene we worked with. Eva is a photographer and she provided some of the great shots seen here.

For the August 2009 star party in the park;
The clear sky gods smiled down on us last night despite a day of rain, wind & clouds.

M27
The Dumbbell Nebula
_________

Star Party at Sky's The Limit March 21, 2009

Disregarding bad news on the clear sky chart, our group set up at the monthly "Sky's the Limit" star party, location in Twentynine Palms. Uncertain if the 20 mph winds would die down, or the ominous cloud cover would appear as predicted, we all set up our scopes, just in case things changed for the better and we would have a way to show off the night sky to potential visitors.

By the time it got dark, the wind had died down slightly, and several patches of clear sky opened. We were able to get some great views in., but it was still too windy to set up the projection system with big screen. Instead, we were able to share our views using 14" monitors and video visors. Later that evening, the winds calmed down enough to set up the big screen and projector. The cloud cover and transparency fluctuated enough to put on a bit of a show.

It's always a pleasure to meet new people and to see them view the universe like they have never seen it before. I particularly remember Klaus with his wonderful wife and children, originally from Germany, they were here on vacation from Ohio. They showed such enthusiasm, that it is always a nice reward for all our hard work and effort.

Paul using a laser pointer to pinpoint the location of M82
(despite poor skies)_________________

Star Party in Joshua Tree National Park March 28, 2009

The Andromeda Society's monthly star party at Hidden Valley in Joshua Tree National Park did not disappoint.

The Clear Sky Chat read, that viewing would be excellent, especially between the hours of 8 - 9 pm. And as if that wasn't great news, Earth Hour was globally taking place between 8:30 - 9:30! It doesn't get much better than that.

The crowds began to gather early. The program began at the other end of the site at about 7:30, with comedic but educational stylings of Orv Hunter & Sam Davidson, who are considered the two sages of The Andromeda Society.

By the time they were finished it was dark enough to start the show. I must say, that due to Earth Hour, the skies were noticeably darker between 8:30 - 9:30 and seemed brighter by 10:00.

As it turned out, it was the largest group that SCDVA has had the pleasure of presenting the night skies to.

Ken & Tom killing time anxiously awaiting the sighting of the first 3 stars of the evening in order to align their scopes.
_______________________________

Tom viewing the moon through his Explore Scientific 127 APO and video visors.

The crowd viewing the screen, Valeree seated at mission control with Sue & Tom assisting.
___________________________

Screen Shot- A gaseous cloud of dust is swirling under the pressure of intense ultra violet radiation caused by hot, newly formed stars in the fringes of the Great Orion Nebula, M-42
_____________________________________

Rick, on the left, is doing it old school. With his scope focused on Saturn, the people sneak a peek through the eyepiece.

________________________________________

Photo by Paul

Photo by Paul

Photo by Paul___________________________________

According to Paul. who took the 3 photos above:

"These are real time images with no touch up or stacking. I used a cheap $80 camera set to 2 seconds to take the pictures of the screen."

Paul also added:

"These events continue to get bigger. I'm not sure of the count, but we had in excess of 200 people. Parking and auto lights became a problem. The crowd even asked to have a description/ lecture about the camera, which Tom was glad to provide."

All in all, the evening was a great success. We are looking forward to doing more of the same in the future with bigger & better results each time.

_____________________

Pictured below is
just a sample of what you missed if you didn't make it to the
Earth Day 2009 Celebration Star Party
at Sky's The Limit

On screen #1
M51 The Whirlpool Galaxy

along side on Screen #2
Saturn floats

These are live images. Saturn appears over 2 ft. wide on the big screen.